The international outcry that has been generated by the Taliban’s dramatic takeover of Afghanistan has inevitably focused attention on the original justification for the US-led coalition’s military intervention: namely Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden’s role in the September 11 attacks in 2001.
The US accused bin Laden of masterminding the most devastating terrorist attack on American soil from his base in Afghanistan, where he had been granted a safe haven by the country’s Taliban rulers. And it was the Taliban’s refusal to hand over bin Laden to the American authorities that prompted military intervention, which resulted in Taliban government being overthrown and the destruction of bin Laden’s terrorist infrastructure.
US President Joe Biden has made frequent references to these key events as he has sought to justify his controversial decision to end American military operations in Afghanistan in time for the 20th anniversary of the September 11 attacks.
Speaking at the White House shortly after the Taliban had regained control of the country, Biden remarked: “We went to Afghanistan for the express purpose of getting rid of Al Qaeda in Afghanistan as well as getting Osama bin Laden. And we did."
Biden’s claim that the US-led coalition has succeeded in ridding Afghanistan of the menace posed by Al Qaeda is open to question, especially following reports that their fighters have been volunteering to fight alongside the Taliban.
Nevertheless, bin Laden’s role in provoking the intervention in the first place, and the long-running manhunt that followed and resulted in his assassination in the Pakistani frontier town of Abbottabad in 2011, remains one of the central themes of the long-running Afghan saga.
In his new book, The Rise and Fall of Osama bin Laden, veteran American journalist Peter Bergen seeks to provide a detailed revaluation of bin Laden’s role in precipitating Washington’s two-decades-long campaign against Al Qaeda and the other Islamist terrorist groups, such as ISIS, that it has spawned.
Having met bin Laden as a producer with CNN at his Afghan hideout back in 1997, Bergen has become one of the world’s leading authorities on bin Laden and has written several previous books detailing the Al Qaeda leader’s exploits.
In his latest effort to shed light on the Al Qaeda founder’s mindset, Bergen travelled to bin Laden’s final Abbottabad hideout, where the terrorist managed to live with his 27-strong entourage, including 16 family members, for several years under the noses of Pakistani security authorities. Bergen makes the point that, while bin Laden became one of the world’s most notorious terrorists, he was at heart a family man who was happiest in the company of his many wives and children.
Bergen’s book will also make for uncomfortable reading for the American president, as the author helpfully reminds the reader that Biden, then serving as Barack Obama’s vice president, was a lone voice in opposing the daring US special forces operation that resulted in bin Laden’s demise, preferring the safer option of an air strike. So much for Biden’s claim to be an expert on national security policy.
Bergen’s well-written and meticulously researched book draws heavily on the treasure trove of material that was captured by the US Navy Seal team that carried out the raid on bin Laden’s Abbottabad lair that resulted in his death. A total of 470,000 files captured during the mission were subsequently released by the Trump administration in late 2017, which included a family journal that the bin Laden entourage kept in the final weeks of the Al Qaeda leader’s life.
Drawing on these documents, as well as exhaustive interviews with key American officials involved in the hunt for bin Laden as well as many of his associates, Bergen portrays bin Laden as a deeply insecure and vain man whose primary motivation in life is to overcome his humble Saudi origins. So obsessed with his appearance that Bergen later found a bottle of Just for Men black hair dye in the bathroom of his Abbottabad hideaway.
Bergen believes that bin Laden’s low social status was one of the driving forces behind his rise to prominence as Al Qaeda's founder and leader. One of 55 children born into an obscure Alawite sect, his father was of Yemeni descent and became one of Saudi Arabia’s most successful businessmen.
Claiming the mantle as the global leader of a holy war was one way for bin Laden to overcome his humble origins and, even after he was forced to flee into hiding following the September 11 attacks, Bergen relates how bin Laden continued to micromanage Al Qaeda right up to his death. He also relied heavily on his many wives for advice and guidance, with one of his favoured brides, Siham, providing assistance in drafting speeches and statements.
At the heart of bin Laden’s ideology was a desire to end America’s involvement in the Middle East, and Bergen says the Al Qaeda leader thought the September 11 attacks would result in the US withdrawing its troops from Saudi Arabia and other locations in the region.
Twenty years later, with US forces finally completing their withdrawal from Afghanistan, it appears that bin Laden might ultimately have achieved his goal.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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THE BIO
Born: Mukalla, Yemen, 1979
Education: UAE University, Al Ain
Family: Married with two daughters: Asayel, 7, and Sara, 6
Favourite piece of music: Horse Dance by Naseer Shamma
Favourite book: Science and geology
Favourite place to travel to: Washington DC
Best advice you’ve ever been given: If you have a dream, you have to believe it, then you will see it.
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Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD)
What is THAAD?
It is considered to be the US' most superior missile defence system.
Production:
It was first created in 2008.
Speed:
THAAD missiles can travel at over Mach 8, so fast that it is hypersonic.
Abilities:
THAAD is designed to take out projectiles, namely ballistic missiles, as they are on their downward trajectory towards their target, otherwise known as the "terminal phase".
Purpose:
To protect high-value strategic sites, such as airfields or population centres.
Range:
THAAD can target projectiles both inside and outside of the Earth's atmosphere, at an altitude of 93 miles above the Earth's surface.
Creators:
Lockheed Martin was originally granted the contract to develop the system in 1992. Defence company Raytheon sub-contracts to develop other major parts of the system, such as ground-based radar.
UAE and THAAD:
In 2011, the UAE became the first country outside of the US to buy two THAAD missile defence systems. It then deployed them in 2016, becoming the first Gulf country to do so.
Zayed Sustainability Prize
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
WISH
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The specs: 2018 Ducati SuperSport S
Price, base / as tested: Dh74,900 / Dh85,900
Engine: 937cc
Transmission: Six-speed gearbox
Power: 110hp @ 9,000rpm
Torque: 93Nm @ 6,500rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 5.9L / 100km
Profile box
Company name: baraka
Started: July 2020
Founders: Feras Jalbout and Kunal Taneja
Based: Dubai and Bahrain
Sector: FinTech
Initial investment: $150,000
Current staff: 12
Stage: Pre-seed capital raising of $1 million
Investors: Class 5 Global, FJ Labs, IMO Ventures, The Community Fund, VentureSouq, Fox Ventures, Dr Abdulla Elyas (private investment)
Electric scooters: some rules to remember
- Riders must be 14-years-old or over
- Wear a protective helmet
- Park the electric scooter in designated parking lots (if any)
- Do not leave electric scooter in locations that obstruct traffic or pedestrians
- Solo riders only, no passengers allowed
- Do not drive outside designated lanes
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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DUNE%3A%20PART%20TWO
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
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The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre 4-cylinder petrol
Power: 154bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Transmission: 7-speed automatic with 8-speed sports option
Price: From Dh79,600
On sale: Now
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
Fight card
1. Bantamweight: Victor Nunes (BRA) v Siyovush Gulmamadov (TJK)
2. Featherweight: Hussein Salim (IRQ) v Shakhriyor Juraev (UZB)
3. Catchweight 80kg: Rashed Dawood (UAE) v Khamza Yamadaev (RUS)
4. Lightweight: Ho Taek-oh (KOR) v Ronald Girones (CUB)
5. Lightweight: Arthur Zaynukov (RUS) v Damien Lapilus (FRA)
6. Bantamweight: Vinicius de Oliveira (BRA) v Furkatbek Yokubov (RUS)
7. Featherweight: Movlid Khaybulaev (RUS) v Zaka Fatullazade (AZE)
8. Flyweight: Shannon Ross (TUR) v Donovon Freelow (USA)
9. Lightweight: Mohammad Yahya (UAE) v Dan Collins (GBR)
10. Catchweight 73kg: Islam Mamedov (RUS) v Martun Mezhulmyan (ARM)
11. Bantamweight World title: Jaures Dea (CAM) v Xavier Alaoui (MAR)
12. Flyweight World title: Manon Fiorot (FRA) v Gabriela Campo (ARG)
Chef Nobu's advice for eating sushi
“One mistake people always make is adding extra wasabi. There is no need for this, because it should already be there between the rice and the fish.
“When eating nigiri, you must dip the fish – not the rice – in soy sauce, otherwise the rice will collapse. Also, don’t use too much soy sauce or it will make you thirsty. For sushi rolls, dip a little of the rice-covered roll lightly in soy sauce and eat in one bite.
“Chopsticks are acceptable, but really, I recommend using your fingers for sushi. Do use chopsticks for sashimi, though.
“The ginger should be eaten separately as a palette cleanser and used to clear the mouth when switching between different pieces of fish.”
Nayanthara: Beyond The Fairy Tale
Starring: Nayanthara, Vignesh Shivan, Radhika Sarathkumar, Nagarjuna Akkineni
Director: Amith Krishnan
Rating: 3.5/5
Ain Dubai in numbers
126: The length in metres of the legs supporting the structure
1 football pitch: The length of each permanent spoke is longer than a professional soccer pitch
16 A380 Airbuses: The equivalent weight of the wheel rim.
9,000 tonnes: The amount of steel used to construct the project.
5 tonnes: The weight of each permanent spoke that is holding the wheel rim in place
192: The amount of cable wires used to create the wheel. They measure a distance of 2,4000km in total, the equivalent of the distance between Dubai and Cairo.
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Naga
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Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
The specs: 2018 Nissan Altima
Price, base / as tested: Dh78,000 / Dh97,650
Engine: 2.5-litre in-line four-cylinder
Power: 182hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque: 244Nm @ 4,000rpm
Transmission: Continuously variable tranmission
Fuel consumption, combined: 7.6L / 100km
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
